Camper Travel 1974-1975

mai 1974 - mai 1975

On a 13-month journey from North America through Central & South America, back to our starting point in NYC. Our means of transportation was a model 1972 VW Westfalia camper with a 1700cc engine and pop-up top. Total miles 37,492. En savoir plus

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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 12 mai 1974
- Altitude: 1 030 p
- Canada Improvement District No. 24 59.408644, -112.80166759°24’31” N 112°48’6” W
Day 12 - Wood Buffalo NP
12 mai 1974, Canada
(Ursula) Today we explored Wood Buffalo Park. Before leaving, we got invited for tea by a group of people we met. Some were Indians or had at least Indian blood and beautiful brown skin.

On the way back from a detour to Peace Point, we were lucky to spot a small herd of Wood Buffalos. They were shy and disappeared quickly into the dense forest before Heinz and Wally could get their cameras ready. Shucks!En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 13 mai 1974
- Altitude: 1 890 p
- Canada Slave Lake Airport 55.27841, -114.77795155°16’42” N 114°46’41” W
Day 13 - Deciding on Plan B
13 mai 1974, Canada
Our original plan was to drive to Alaska to start the trip to South America. But based on the information received from Igor & Carol, Alaska wasn't doable at this time of the year without a 4x4 drive vehicle. Talk about bad planning!

Therefore, after discussing with Ursula and Wally, we decided to visit Jasper and Banff National Parks instead, then head for Vancouver, where Wally wanted to visit some friends.

Instead of driving the long way back to Edmonton, I opted to take a shortcut West toward Whitecourt on Route #32. The first road sign should have been a warning "Wet Road." The second sign, "Road Impassable," was even more so. But I was optimistic, stubborn (or both), and decided to try it.

In the beginning, the road was quite good. But then the pavement stopped, and from there on, it was only gravel and dirt. A few miles later, it started to get muddy, but it was still drivable until we ascended a slope. At some point, the engine block sat on the mud, and the vehicle couldn't move. We pulled on rubber boots and tried pushing, but the wheels sank even more profoundly.

Now we couldn't move forward or backward - stuck like idiots!

But we were probably not the first idiots who had tried to push their luck. On top of the hill ahead was a giant tractor that had observed us and came to our rescue. It was the most giant tractor I ever saw - humongous. The rear wheels were taller than the roof of our camper. The driver had a big grin (besides two missing front teeth). He attached a chain and pulled us up the hill like a toy. We thankfully passed him a $10 bill and moved on.

We were so relieved to get through this ordeal without a scratch! The road gradually got better.

About an hour later, we arrived at a brook. A group of boys were fishing from a bridge, giggling and pulling out one fish after another. They already had several large buckets filled with fish. That was an unbelievable sight!En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 14 mai 1974
- Altitude: 3 507 p
- Canada Jasper 52.872657, -118.07998452°52’22” N 118°4’48” W
Day 14 - Jasper NP, Alberta
14 mai 1974, Canada
We arrived in Jasper, Alberta. On the way here, we got stopped by a State Trooper because of speeding (which we were unaware of - the truth!). He could have fined us but let us go with a warning and cautioned us that there are radar checks throughout the Park. We appreciate his generosity!

We saw a large herd of grazing Elk as we entered the National Park. It was so amazing! A little further into the Park, we stopped by a group of mountain sheep. They came up close, and we could feed them some old bread and take pictures.

After arriving in Jasper, Wally and I went to a Do-It-Yourself car wash. Tons of mud came off from under the chassis. Meanwhile, Ursula went to a Laundromat with our dirty clothes. Then we cared for our bodies at the Municipal Bath and Sauna facility. Oh, that felt so wonderful!

The city of Jasper is located in the valley of the Athabasca River at an altitude of 3,478 feet. We were told that there was still snow on the ground two weeks earlier. Jasper could be compared to Samaden or Zernez in Switzerland.

Wally's friends, Ruth & Chrigel, prepared dinner in the kitchen. If the weather is OK tomorrow, we plan to hike with them.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 16 mai 1974
- Altitude: 3 510 p
- Canada Jasper 52.873874, -118.07927352°52’26” N 118°4’45” W
Day 16 - Jasper
16 mai 1974, Canada
We declared today a rest day we want to spend with Wally’s friends. Ruth is from Tramelan in the Jura and works at the local hospital as a nurse. Chrigel is from Adelboden. He works odd jobs in the off-season and as a mountain guide during the summer.

After lunch, we hiked to a beautiful mountain lake under an overcast sky. We saw Moose by the shore standing in shallow water. We would have liked to circle the lake, but the trail was too wet, and we didn’t have the proper shoes. It was also cold and windy. But the location and view were magnificent, with the snow-covered Canadian Rockies in the background.

Up to this point, we have already shot several rolls of color slides and Super-8 film. Tomorrow, I want to mail these treasures to our friend Bernhard in New York for safety.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 17 mai 1974
- Altitude: 7 605 p
- Canada Alberta 52.080229, -117.29694452°4’49” N 117°17’49” W
Day 17 - Jasper
17 mai 1974, Canada
Ruth & Chrigel had to return to work today.

After breakfast, we went on a short hike in the area and later joined their neighbors, the Klopfstein family, for coffee and continued our journey.

Before leaving Jasper, however, we returned once more to the Community Bath and Sauna - who knows when we will have this opportunity again.

In the afternoon, we finally left town toward Banff National Park.

The Canadian Rockies looked massive and bold, and the valleys were broad. Everything looked wild and on a large scale - impressive! We were almost at 6,560 feet, and some ground was still covered with snow. We spotted more Elk and Moose and groups of deer grazing peacefully alongside the road. We were hoping the bears had finished their winter sleep, and we would spot some, but no luck so far.

By evening we reached a nice campground and were surprised to find it quite crowded for a Monday.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 18 mai 1974
- Altitude: 5 243 p
- Canada Stoney Squaw Mountain 51.19926, -115.56962851°11’57” N 115°34’11” W
Day 18 - Banff National Park
18 mai 1974, Canada
We took our time and enjoyed our leisurely drive through Banff National Park with its magnificent views. In contrast to Switzerland, nature here is primarily untouched wilderness.

Wally and I purchased a fishing license and tried our luck in the nearby Bow River. Maybe we will catch fresh trout for tonight’s dinner.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 19 mai 1974
- Altitude: 2 575 p
- Canada Edelweiss Creek 51.310168, -116.97021551°18’37” N 116°58’13” W
Day 19 - Golden
19 mai 1974, Canada
Lake Louise was so picture-perfect. Part of the lake was still frozen.

We are again heading for Vancouver, BC, on the Trans-Canada Highway #1. We were rushing a bit and skipped so many places that would have been worth visiting. But we decided to skip them for now and revisit this region later.

At one point, we drove through a strange and boring-looking landscape with sandy hills, sparsely overgrown with low shrubs, similar to a high desert, but not exactly. We later learned that this area gets extremely hot during the summer, and hardly any plants can survive the brutal heat.

Our journey continued toward Kamloops. Shortly before Hope, we noticed more lush vegetation again.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 20 mai 1974
- Altitude: 3 110 p
- Canada Mount Elsay 49.399672, -122.93251849°23’59” N 122°55’57” W
Day 20 - Vancouver
20 mai 1974, Canada
The landscape became much more lush and exciting. Everything was now green. The single-family homes with manicured gardens looked like in a picture book. The city of Vancouver is almost surrounded by water and looks so beautiful. It made a peaceful impression on us.

Wally’s friend Ernst wasn’t home, so we drove by the airport and visited the Planetarium.

Then we spent the entire evening looking for a campground and couldn’t find one. We finally ended up sleeping in the parking lot of the Mt. Seymour Ski Area. The view from up there on Vancouver City with its million lights was amazing.

It was bitter cold during the night. Brrrr.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 23 mai 1974 à 12:06
- Altitude: 52 p
- Canada Robson Square 49.282011, -123.12230349°16’55” N 123°7’20” W
Day 21-23 Vancouver
23 mai 1974, Canada
(Ursula) Today, we got to meet Wally's friend Ernst Bähler. He accompanied us to the VW dealer. Our first significant service after 5,592 miles is now done! A section of the heating element was damaged and had to be replaced. Positive news - the valves were found to be in good order. Heinz also purchased extra door keys and stocked up on replacement parts we will need down the road.

May 22nd
Unfortunately, it was raining all day. I got caught up with writing and played chess with Wally and Ernst. In the evening, we were invited to the home of Ernst's girlfriend, Vestina, for dinner. She prepared two delicious chicken dishes. I had never tasted Indonesian food before and loved it. One of the dishes was a bit spicy, though. Later, we drove to a Chinese place to swing our dancing legs!

May 23rd
Damn, it's still raining. Ernst's comment was "typical Vancouver." Wally had spent the night at Vestina's house. After breakfast, we all went shopping despite the rain. Ursula bought postcards, and Wally got a new pair of blue jeans.

Then we went to a German Café where we met a few of Wally's colleagues from last year's English class. On our way home, we found a Swiss cheese shop on 2nd Avenue and bought Vacherin, Appenzeller, and a six-pack of Yoghurt.En savoir plus
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Voyageur Camper Travel 1974-1975
Day 24-25 Vancouver Island
25 mai 1974, Canada
Does the rain never stop in Vancouver? We had the brilliant idea to rent a room at a Motel. Ernst was in trouble with the landlady, but she did have a heart and allowed Ursula to use her washer/dryer.

Wally was dressed nicely. He had a short haircut and shaved off his beard. What was going on with this guy? We were invited to a party at Vestina’s family in the evening. Then we watched TV at the Motel until after midnight. Having some privacy and sleeping in a real bed for a change felt great!

May 25th
The three of us were unable to agree on what to do next. Wally wanted to stay in Vancouver until Tuesday and hang out with Vestina’s younger sister, who was very cute and more important now. So, Ursula and I left for a few days and decided to discover Vancouver Island.

We took the ferry to Victoria, where we quickly digested our disappointment. It was so beautiful, and would you believe it, the rain stopped, and the sun was breaking through the clouds!

We settled in for the night on a campground near the village of Nanaimo next to a roaring river.En savoir plus
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